Compression sleeve with playbook

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an arm apparel and fashion apparatus for holding and retrieving plays during an athletic competition. More particularly, a playbook secured to a compression sleeve in such a way that the effectiveness of the playbook is maintained when used in conjunction with the compression sleeve is disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an arm apparel and fashion apparatus for holding and retrieving plays during an athletic competition.

2. Description of Related Art

Compression sleeves have been used for many years by athletes, primarily for medical use. In 1957, Stephen A. Zieman proposed a compression sleeve to reduce swelling to an affected area after surgery (U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,378 A). Such compression stockings can be traced back as far as 1909 (U.S. Pat. No. 932,066 A).

In recent years, athletes started wearing compression sleeves as a fashion and apparel accessory, with major sports figures such as Lebron James making the sleeve a standard component of their game uniforms. In this context, the compression sleeve is also commonly known as a “shiver.” Compression sleeves have also been adapted for use during athletic competitions to keep arms and legs warm in cold weather or to provide superior game performance, such as the “Fumble Resistance” compression sleeve designed for use in American Football (US Patent Application No. 2012/0297517 A1).

Athletes have also used playbooks attached to their arms and wrists for many years. In some sports, such as basketball, soccer, volleyball, and football, players and coaches call plays during the game. The rising complexity of athletic games often necessitate that key play makers wear the playbooks as a memory aid for individual plays. Traditionally, the playbooks consisted of a strap of material, a container for plays, and a mechanism for attaching to the athlete's arm or wrist. Recently, inventors have created dynamic playbooks that provide real-time communications between the players and coaches (U.S. Pat. No. 8,126,143 B2).

Disadvantageously, when playbooks are used in conjunction with compression sleeves, playbooks do not achieve the necessary friction required to stay in proper place on the athlete. For example, for playbooks designed for an athlete's wrist, if the player is wearing an arm compression sleeve, the playbook will frequently rotate on the athlete's wrist, causing a distraction for the athlete and revealing secret plays to the opposing team. Because of shifting in position of the playbook, the effectiveness of using the playbook during an athletic competition is diminished when it is used concurrently with a compression sleeve. There is a need for a device that will combine the benefits of the compression sleeve while keeping a playbook secured in the proper location on the athlete.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, a playbook is secured to a compression sleeve in such a way that it does not shift in position in relation to the compression sleeve. Importantly, the playbook is positioned on the compression sleeve so that the plays are visible to the athlete wearing the invention but not to the opposing players.

If desired, particular embodiments can be made of different sizes, materials, or colors, have numbers or letters on the compression sleeve, or can contain other uniquely identifiable characters.

The invention may be used to particular advantage as a football playbook, but it may also be used in other sports where plays are called on the field of play during a game.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the presently described apparatus and method of use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The accompanying drawings illustrate various exemplary implementations and are part of the specification. The illustrated implementations are proffered for purpose of example, not for purpose of limitation.

Illustrated elements will be designated by numbers. Once designated, an element will be identified by the identical number throughout. Illustrated in the accompanying drawings is at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present disclosure. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric front view of an embodiment of the assembly disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of an embodiment of the playbook attached to the compression sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the compression sleeve with playbook apparatus of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the invention includes compression sleeve 1. Compression sleeve 1 may be constructed of any material of sufficient strength to resist ripping or tearing such that may occur during a game such as American football. It is preferred that compression sleeve 1 be made of a material of adequate thickness and strength to protect the athlete's appendage from cuts or abrasions. Additionally, it is preferred that compression sleeve 1 be constructed of elastic material so that it maintains a tight fit on the athlete's appendage but does not restrict the athlete's movement during the game of play.

Additionally, compression sleeve 1 may be of various colors and sizes. Preferably, the invention will be worn on the arm of the athlete, but it may also be worn on legs, torsos, or other body parts. Compression sleeve 1 must be appropriately sized so that it maintains proper fit on the appendage on which it is worn.

Referring to FIG. 2, playbook 2 is formed by securing back-flap 8 to front-flap 6 at connection point 7. In the preferred embodiment, back-flap 8 and front-flap 6 are made of a continuous strip of material; connection point 7 is formed simply by folding the material forming back-flap 8 and back-flap 7 together.

Back-flap 8 and front-flap 6 can be made of any material known in the art, but preferably they are made of a material, such as plastic, that is flexible, lightweight, durable, and waterproof. Additionally, although in the preferred embodiment back-flap 8 and front-flap 6 are made of the same material, other embodiments may include back-flap 8 and front-flap 6 composed of different materials.

Referring to FIG. 2, back-flap 8 on playbook 2 is secured to compression sleeve 1. In the preferred embodiment, back-flap 8 is sewn to compression sleeve 1. However, such back-flap 8 could also be secured by any suitable adhesive, epoxy, resin, rivet, staple, pin, or other methods known in the art. Further, back-flap 8 may be attached in any position on compression sleeve 1. However, in the preferred embodiment, back-flap 8 will be attached in a position that provides easy visual access to the contents of the playbook for the athlete wearing the invention while protecting the contents of the playbook from view of other players. As a non-limiting example, for an American Football player wearing the invention on his arm, playbook 2 could be situated on compression sleeve 1 so that the playbook is located on the inside of the player's forearm.

As shown in FIG. 2, back-flap 8 and front-flap 6 are connected using a closing means along the edges at edge 4 and edge 5. The closing means used to connect edge 4 to edge 5 must be able to repeatedly connect and disconnect. In the preferred embodiment, the closing means includes a plurality of miniature monofilament hook and loop fasteners, but the closing means could be provided using any known method in the art suitable for detachably securing and unsecuring fabrics or materials. As a non-limiting example, the pouch formed by connecting edge 4 and edge 5 can be used to store game plays and other materials between back-flap 8 and front-flap 6.

Referring to FIG. 2, front flap 6 includes transparent window 3. The purpose of transparent window 3 is to provide a view to materials stored between back-flap 8 and front-flap 6 without disconnecting edge 4 and edge 5. In the preferred embodiment, transparent window 3 is made of flexible, durable, waterproof, and transparent material, such as transparent plastic. However, such transparent window 3 could be made of other materials as long as they are flexible, durable, waterproof, and transparent.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details, it is not intended that such details be regarded as limitations on the scope of the invention, except to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous alternative arrangements that, while not shown or described herein, embody the principles of the invention and thus are within its spirit and scope. 

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for holding and retrieving plays during an athletic competition, comprising: a compression sleeve; and a playbook secured to said compression sleeve, said playbook comprising a back-flap, front-flap, transparent window, and a closing means for connecting the back-flap to the front-flap.
 2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said compression sleeve is adapted to enclose the entire length of the arm.
 3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said compression sleeve is made of elastic material.
 4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said playbook is sewn to said compression sleeve.
 5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said closing means comprises a plurality of miniature monofilament hook and loop fasteners.
 6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said compression sleeve is used for at least one of the following games: football, baseball, volleyball, soccer, and basketball.
 7. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said playbook is situated on said compression sleeve to provide visibility of its contents to the athlete wearing said apparatus, but obstructed visibility to opposing players. 